Professor McGonnagal: gone?
by Tori Evernon
Summary: Is McGonnagal missing?
1. Beginning a new year

Rocks. Rocks? Rocks hit my window. "Nooo!" I said. "Not nowww!"  
  
"Yes now! Get down here, Roecca!" my best friend, Steph, said. "You're gonna miss the train!"  
  
"Yargh! It's coming?" I called.  
  
"Yes! Now hurry up!"  
  
I threw my blankets off and scurried around in my room. I changed into my robe, and packed my things. "Hurry! It's coming!" Steph called.  
  
"I am, I am!" I packed everything from last year. "Coming!"  
  
Steph and I were beginning our third year at Hogwarts Witch craft and Wizardry. Steph's 18-year-old brother was beginning his eighth year—he was one of the top students.  
  
Steph and I hurried to the station, and went through the wall to make it to the train. "Git up hea', you lazy bumz! I ain't waitin' fur yuh every yea', yuh know!" the train driver shouted at us.  
  
"Showwy," Steph said sarcastically. "I ain't gonna dew it again!"  
  
I giggled at her mimic of the train driver. "Yea, yuh know, we ain't alwayz late, yuh know, yuh know, yuh!" I said bravely. Usually I never mimic anyone at least 10 years older than me.  
  
"Good one," Steph laughed.  
  
We sat down and got chocolate frogs. "Ooo," I said sadly. "Mine's like… got no leg."  
  
"Ewww!" Steph said. "That's, like, so, like, you know, nasty!"  
  
She was mimicking her 15-year-old sister. I giggled.  
  
"Hogwarts schewl," said the train driver. "You guyz gotta git off n' fahv meenutes."  
  
As five minutes passed, everybody had gone to the leaders and to the sorting hat. I was eighth. "Mmm…" he said. "I think you'd go good in Gryffindor."  
  
The Gryffindor table cheered. "Hooray!"  
  
Steph was a few turns later. "I can tell you want to be with your friend, don't you? Gryffindor it is then!"  
  
Days and days passed. Steph got 98s, 99s, or 100s on all of her tests, while I was getting 80s or 70s or something around that.  
  
"Roecca," Snape snapped. "Pay attention! That dumb mind of yours is not gonna get you anywhere if you don't pay attention!"  
  
"S-sorr—" I said.  
  
"Shut up!" Snape said. "Exams are next Friday. Study? YOU'D BETTER. Go."  
  
"EoEooch," Steph said. "Snape's cruel."  
  
"Steph, you'd better not be cheatin', or I'll deduct 70 points from your exams, you dumb girl!" Snape said; obviously overhearing Steph.  
  
"Yes, Snape," Steph sighed.  
  
That night, Steph and I studied together until 12:00; when someone was checking if they were asleep. 


	2. Finding out

SNOOOOOORE! Steph and Roecca kept sleeping. "Wake up!"  
  
"Wh..?" Steph said as she woke up.  
  
"Rar! We're late for Snape's class!"  
  
"Uh oh! Hurry, Roecca, we've got to get ready!"  
  
We slipped on our robes and ran to Snape's class. "LATE, ROECCA AND STEPH?"  
  
"Yes, Snape," I said.  
  
"And why are you late?"  
  
"We slept in…?"  
  
"YOU SLEPT IN?" Snape laughed. "THERE'S NO SUCH THING! BWAHAHA, THAT'S SIMPLY… stupid. Get to your seats and get ready for the exam."  
  
"You said that was on Friday!"  
  
"I lied."  
  
Snape gave us the exam. Well, actually, I did pretty well on it.  
  
"Give me the exams," Snape hissed. "Give them, you"—he muttered this—"lousy, rotten, dumb kids."  
  
After potion class was over, I said, "We should tell Dumbedore how Snape is acting, you know?"  
  
"Dumbledore wouldn't do anything. Snape is one of the best teachers here, remember?" Steph said.  
  
I sighed. Steph and I walked up the stairs to Professor McGonnagal's transfiguration class. The stairs started moving. "Oh, great," Steph sighed. "They're moving again."  
  
The stairs led to Professor Binns's History of Magic class. "And why are you late?" Professor Binns exclaimed.  
  
"We're not supposed to be here," I said.  
  
"Oh, and I suppose the STAIRS did this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Where are you supposed to be?"  
  
"Professor McGonnagal's Transfiguration class," Steph said.  
  
Professor Binns glared at us. "McGonnagal died in summer."  
  
"What?" I said. Steph and my eyes widened. "What are you talking about? We just saw her this morning."  
  
"You girls need to see Snape," Binns said. "You'll need a memory potion!"  
  
Binns sent us off. What was going on? 


	3. Asking for help

"Gone?" I asked Steph as Binns dismissed us. "But, we just saw her this morning- she wasn't any ghost."  
"Hey, at least," Steph said jokingly, "We don't have to take another mid-term exam!"  
"Steeepph," I said. "We need to look this up in the library or something."  
"Yeah. We're gonna find a, McGonnagal gone? Look here! book? Sure," Steph said, rolling her eyes.  
"Well, we should ask Dumbledore or Hagrid," I said. "They've got to know something."  
"Where are they? We're supposed to go to somewhere, aren't we?"  
"We've got nowhere to go but to ask them," I said. "Come on!"  
We ran to Dumbledore. "Proffesor Dumbledore," I said. "Where is Professor McGonnagal?"  
Dumbledore was shocked. "Wh-" he said. "She died in the summer."  
"No!" Steph said, stomping her foot. "She's here. She's here, I know it! We saw her this morning!"  
"That was her ghost, girls," Dumbledore said.  
"No it wasn't," I said. "Ghosts go through things. She didn't! Ghosts are paley white-ish. She wasn't! She couldn't fly, either, like ghosts can."  
"She doesn't want people to know," he admitted. "Now, don't tell anyone about this, and run along to wherever you're supposed to be."  
"We're supposed to go to Professor McGonnagal's class for a mid-term exam! We went to her class every day before now," Steph said.  
Dumbledore stood there, shocked. "Just... go in the library and see what you can find," he said.  
"Come on, Steph," I whispered, and grabbed her arm.  
She let me drag her away from Dumbledore. "The library won't help," she said. "We've got to visit Hagrid."  
I nodded.  
We quickly watched if anyone was watching. Then we ran out and knocked on Hagrid's door. "Hello, m'girls," Hagrid said. "H'might I help ya?"  
He let us inside his cabin. "Have you heard anything about Professor McGonnagal?" I asked. "Did she die?"  
"I've heard she died in the summer, but I'm not too sure; haven't seen her ghost; she promised she would still be here if she died," Hagrid said, scratching his chin.  
"Where was she last?" Steph asked.  
"Umm... I dunno; stairs I think," Hagrid said.  
"Okay. Thanks," I said. Steph and I ran outside to the stairs, and walked up stairs to the highest floor; which was forbidden. 


	4. Death of a friend

"This isn't forbidden anymore," Steph said. "It's okay to come up here. Don't be so nervous."  
  
"Well, McGonnagal wouldn't be here, then. Probably not, anyway. She would be hiding somewhere that would be forbidden—" I said.  
  
"The forest!" Steph gasped.  
  
"No way am I going there," I said, shaking my head. "No way!"  
  
"We've got to," Steph said. "She's probably there. She'd be hiding somewhere which no students would go to."  
  
I nodded slowly. "Fine."  
  
We ran down the steps rapidly and out the door and ran back to Hagrid. "We need to go to the forbidden forest to look for Professor McGonnagal! Come with us, Hagrid, please?" Steph asked.  
  
"I s'pose; if it's for McGonnagal…" Hagrid said, putting a jacket on. "C'mon, let's go!"  
  
We ran to the forest. "Stay with me," Hagrid said. "You never know who would come up."  
  
We looked around for about 40 minutes; until Steph said, "Who's that?" and pointed at something.  
  
"Don't go!" Hagrid boomed. "It might be; Vo… Vo… it might be you-know- who!"  
  
"He died," I said.  
  
"He came back," Hagrid said.  
  
Steph was gone!  
  
She had ran after the object.  
  
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!  
  
"STEPH!" I yelled. "Hagrid, we've got to save her!"  
  
We ran towards Steph; she was laying on a rock; bloody and wounded. "What happened?" Hagrid and I asked at the same time.  
  
"V… Vol…" Steph began to say. "Yaaargh."  
  
"NO STEPH! Don't die, Steph! Noooo! NOO! Hagrid, can't you help her?!!" I shouted.  
  
"Unicorn blood," he said. "But there's no more unicorns for… miles probably; hundreds."  
  
"Noo!" I said. "Steph…" I cried. "You can't die now!"  
  
"Go on and find McGonnagal… no use trying to save me…" Steph cried.  
  
"But, Steph; we've been best friends since… babies," I said. "I can't leave you now!"  
  
"No, just go…" Steph said, closing her eyes, not breathing at all.  
  
"Steph!" I cried, looking at Hagrid.  
  
He didn't say anything.  
  
"We've got to get out of here," I said nervously. "He could come back!"  
  
"What about McGonnagal?"  
  
"I don't think she's here," I admitted.  
  
Hagrid nodded and understood. He picked up Steph and we went to Hogwarts; and went to Madam Pomfrey right away. "Something happened when he had our backs turned," Hagrid said. "Can you do anything?"  
  
"Leave her here," Madam Pomfrey said. "Come back later."  
  
"Please don't let her die, Madam Pomfrey," I said, with my eyes sparkling with tears. "We've been best friends since babies."  
  
She smiled at me and said, "I'll do my best." 


	5. Levitation

I sniffled and cried silently that night. Steph was still resting. "Sleep, Roecca," a voice said.  
  
My head perked up. "Who said that? Professor McGonnagal?" I whispered.  
  
"Shhh," the voice said.  
  
"It is you!" I got out of bed. "Please forgive me for getting out of bed; what are you doing here? Everybody says you're dead! Tell me ple—"  
  
"Shhhhh," the voice said again.  
  
"No, no, don't leave!" I whispered.  
  
"Shh," the voice faded and left.  
  
I whimpered and went back to bed. Be okay, Steph, I thought, I'll tell you everything.  
  
That morning, I saw Professor McGonnagal for a split second; then she disappeared.  
  
I walked alone to Snape's class. "Where's Steph?" Snape asked.  
  
"She's at Madam Pr—" I said.  
  
"Shut up!" he boomed.  
  
I sighed and raised my hand.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"She's at Madam Pomfrey's office; she's dying," I said quietly.  
  
"DYING?" Snape hissed. "How?"  
  
"I-I—I don't know—" I said.  
  
Snape glared at me and continued teaching. At the end, I saw Snape eyeing me as I left and glared.  
  
I went to charms class. Professor Flickwick said to us, "In your first year of Hogwarts, I taught you how to make a feather levitate. Review it and show me you remember how to."  
  
I thought for a moment, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa." I kept practicing until he came to me.  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa," I said. The feather levitated higher than Flickwick's head.  
  
After everyone showed him—some people forgot how—he said, "Who will be our demonstrator? You'll be showing us how to make heavier objects float."  
  
I raised my hand. "I've done this before; it works for 20-ton objects, doesn't it?"  
  
"Um, yes, I think so," Flickwick said. "Have you tried wizards or witches?"  
  
"Wingardium Leviosa," I whispered, and pointed at Professor Flickwick. He started floating a little.  
  
He smiled at me. "Good! Try on someone else, everybody."  
  
Everyone said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" and soon everyone was flying. I made Professor Flickwick, and most people tried on me.  
  
Class was over.  
  
I ran to Madam Pomfrey. "Is she okay?" I asked.  
  
"She's alive," she said. "But she still needs some rest."  
  
I grinned. "Thanks."  
  
Steph was alive! I thought. Yesss! 


	6. Meeting Jack

Steph was back alive. I told her everything that happened when she was knocked out. "Guess what?" I exclaimed. "I saw McGonnagal!"  
  
"What'd she say?" Steph asked, eating part of a turkey.  
  
"She was like, 'Shhh… sleep, Roecca… Shhhhh…' and she disappeared. But that's not anything like McGonnagal!" I said.  
  
"Are you sure it was her?" Steph asked, with her mouth full.  
  
"Yes," I said. "Well, it was most likely her than anyone else. She had the exact same voice. The room was dark, but I could see her faintly."  
  
"Where did she disappear to?" Steph asked.  
  
"I don't know," I said. "She just disappeared."  
  
"I have an idea!" Steph said, with her eyes lighting up. "Tonight we'll follow her!"  
  
"I couldn't see her though, and she could see me," I said.  
  
"I'll ask Jack Snape," Steph said, grinning.  
  
"Who's he?" I asked.  
  
"I have a friend, Tori; this is her first year here, and I was told to look out for her because she's pretty young… and I met her older cousin with some ingredients to turn someone invisible for awhile."  
  
"Is Jack related to Severus?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, I think he's like his nephew, I don't know… but he's related somehow," Steph said. "But don't worry; he's really nice, unlike Severus."  
  
"Okay. Tonight we'll try that," I said.  
  
Steph and I went to Divination class, Potions class, and Charms class. It was getting later and later, and we were anxious to get started on the plan.  
  
As Hogwarts's lights started dimming, Steph and I ran over to Hufflepuff, and got permission to see Tori. "Jack usually is busy," Tori said. "But he's in Gryffindor."  
  
"Where in Gryffindor? We're there, too, and we haven't seen him."  
  
"I don't know," Tori said shyly. "But he has brown hair and brown eyes, and sorta tall. Just ask him if he knows Tori."  
  
"Okay, thanks, Tori!" I said, as we ran back to Gryffindor, and the lights got even darker.  
  
Steph and I asked somebody if he knew Tori. "Yes," he said. "Tori Evernon?"  
  
"Yeah! Are you Jack Snape?" Steph asked.  
  
"Indeedy," Jack grinned. "What would ya like?"  
  
"We need something to turn us invisible," I said.  
  
Jack sighed and gave us two bottles. "I just finished. Uh oh! 'Should get to bed now…" he said.  
  
We ran to our beds and started whispering nonsense, so McGonnagal would come. A few minutes later, when everyone was asleep but Steph and I, she came and checked on us. "Shh…" she said. "Steph and Roecca! Sleep…"  
  
We closed our eyes until McGonnagal started to disappear. We poured the bottle on us and we turned invisible! We followed her as much as we could. She went up the stairs, and into Snape's classroom. 


	7. Explanation

Luckily, the stairs didn't change, and we could follow Professor McGonnagal safely and quietly. She was looking at potions and bottles. Then ran out, and down the stairs. I guess the stairs were off, because the whole time, they didn't change at all.  
  
She went into Charms class next. "Wingardium Leviosa," she whispered quietly, and made everything float, then everything went back down again. She ran out again and went to Divination class. She looked around, at bottles and shapes… crystals and spheres.  
  
She looked into a crystal; and saw herself being followed. "Followed?" she whispered. She didn't know what it was talking about, but it creeped her out.  
  
She ran back into Gryffindor and checked on everyone. "Where's Steph and Roecca?" she said.  
  
The invisibility had started wearing off, and she turned around and saw us. "What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Following—following you—" Steph said nervously.  
  
She took us to a room so they could talk in private. "People are saying you're dead," I explained. "We were looking for you and wanted to see what was going on."  
  
McGonnagal shook her head and explained everything. "I told the teachers to say that. Everybody has been so dang rude and no witches or wizards have been co-operating very much. I had to escape. We haven't won Quidditch for over 8 years, Slytherin always took the reward. I lose students almost every year nowadays, and I'm getting older and older. I just had to escape the horror. I would hide sometimes, and not being able to escape. But now, I've been able to escape the tragic and horror of the students. I never thought they could do it, but I guess I was wrong. Snape helped me out, you know. He made me a potion; to help me look like a ghost and to have more speed to escape. I don't know if I'll come back, but I know it'll be hard."  
  
"But Professor McGonnagal… we need you! You teach us transfiguration; this helps us a lot," Steph said.  
  
"And you're a great leader!" I said.  
  
She looked at us and smiled.  
  
"Do you think I should come back?"  
  
"Yes!" we said together.  
  
"I'll think about it… run along now, get your rest…" she said, closing her eyes.  
  
We went to Gryffindor and hopped in our beds. "Thanks, Jack," Steph whispered. "Couldn't have done it without ya!"  
  
I giggled a little and went to sleep. 


	8. Quidditch

Steph and I ran to Dumbledore the next morning. "Professor Dumbledore! We saw Professor McGonnagal, and we talked to her!"  
  
Dumbledore raised his eyebrow. "I see. What did you talk about?"  
  
"She said she wasn't dead, and she couldn't escape the horror of her students. She's still thinking of coming back… we don't think she will, because she didn't sound like it… could you help us convince her?" Steph said.  
  
"I make no promises, but if I happen to see her… I'll tell her," Dumbledore said. "And you girls can NOT tell anyone about this. Understand?"  
  
We nodded.  
  
Jack was walking to transfiguration class. "Jack," I said. "You can't go there!"  
  
"Why not?" he asked. "I thought McGonnagal was back."  
  
"Not yet," Steph grinned.  
  
"Ergh, okay," he said grumpily. "Then I guess I'll go to Quidditch."  
  
Jack was always getting trophies for Quidditch. But I guess he was put under pressure when the real games count, and they don't win the tournament. "Win us some trophies!" I called.  
  
"Quidditch tournament today!" called Madam Hooch. "Will Slytherin win again… or will the talented Gryffindor finally?"  
  
Everybody stopped their classes and went outside to see the tournament. Madam Hooch released the red quaffle and the game began.  
  
Jack was the seeker. "Go, Jack!" Tori cheered.  
  
Then, the golden snitch was released. Jack and Range were going after the seeker. Range, the seeker on the other team, was behind Jack. "Get it, Jack!" Steph and I cheered at the same time. "Gooo, Jack!"  
  
While they were chasing it, Slytherin scored a goal. "WHOOOO!" cheered the other Slytherin members.  
  
Range got distracted by that a little, and got knocked off his broom. "Nooo!" he cried.  
  
Jack saw a glitter of the snitch far above the players, moving around slowly (as if it was acting like a bug or something). He flew up. The snitch avoided him and zoomed around. Jack tried to catch up. He put one hand out, in a curved shape, catching up to the snitch. He was getting closer to it, when it went up above him and disappeared to the other side. "Noo!" I cried. "Get it, Jack!"  
  
Jack flew around quickly and curved his hand out again. He stretched it out far… getting closer and closer…  
  
He caught it! "Oof!" It zoomed around in his hand; which made his hand punch himself in the stomach.  
  
He showed it to the judges, and that made Gryffindor win. "HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!" Steph, Tori and I cheered along with the rest of Gryffindor. Tori was the only person in Hufflepuff who liked Gryffindor (everybody decided they weren't too good after losing for over 8 years).  
  
Jack smiled.  
  
HA to Slytherin! 


	9. End and disclaimer

Jack won us the tournament. People went over to congratulate him. Range walked over to him. "Well, SNAPE, just because you won this time, doesn't mean you will next time," he said sharply. "So don't get used to winning."  
  
Jack glared at him. "Get used to losing," Jack grinned.  
  
"Damn you!" Range let out.  
  
Madam Hooch heard, and ran over to them. "Okay. Who said that?!" she hissed.  
  
"He did," Jack, Tori, Steph, and I said at the same time, pointing to Range.  
  
Madam Hooch grabbed Range's arm and took him away.  
  
Jack and Tori went off somewhere. Steph and I went to Potions class.  
  
"Well. Congratulations, I guess, to Gryffindor," Snape hissed. "Pop quiz today."  
  
The class groaned and took a feather and ink. Snape asked us questions; 50 of them, and said to turn them in.  
  
The next morning, Professor McGonnagal returned. We cheered; we could finally learn more transfiguration; and MCGONNAGAL WAS BACK!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
All characters and places except for Tori, Jack, Roecca, Steph, Range, and Roecca's home belong to J.K. Rowling. Thanks Jack, Rebecca, and Steffie for letting me use or almost use (spelling) your name. Please review! :) Thanks for reading! 


End file.
